1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a console display for personal computers, especially to a display device installable on a personal computer to track the operation conditions of critical components by displaying related operation data through a display window on the face panel of the computer.
2. Description of Related Arts
To cope with increased sophistication in our daily life, more and more people have to rely on personal computers to support their regular business functions. A personal computer is generally constructed with an input unit, a main processing unit, and a display unit. However, for novice users with no adequate knowledge of the operating principles and the hardware, computers are not that friendly at all, and have been known to exasperate many users.
Analyzing the common hardware problems, failure of the cooling fans or overheating of the central processors (CPU) are among the most frequently encountered by computer users. The operating conditions of these hardware components cannot be easily monitored when the computer is in operation because these components are usually installed inside the casing. In fact, it is almost impossible, even for an experienced user with a technical background, to predict any hardware problems before the component actually fails. For a computerized operation system, such a failure could be quite costly, in terms of the potential data lost, the system down time, and the hardware replacement costs.
One of the ways to prevent the above-mentioned hardware failures is to install a console display on the face panel of the computer, such that the computer user can track the operation conditions of critical components through a display window on a continuous basis, and detect any early signs of any developing hardware problems and take precautionary actions for emergencies in advance of actual hardware failures.